[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) will conduct advance sales (reservations) of Chuseok train tickets from the 16th to the 18th of this month. The advance sales will be conducted 100% non-face-to-face through online and telephone methods.
According to Korea Railroad on the 4th, the trains available for advance reservation are KTX, ITX-Saemaeul, and Mugunghwa-ho trains operating from the 8th to the 12th of next month.
On the first day of reservations (the 16th), only information-vulnerable groups (elderly, registered disabled) can purchase tickets, while on the 17th and 18th, tickets will be sold to all citizens.
Korea Railroad has separately set reservation days for information-vulnerable groups who are not familiar with the internet and allocated 10% of all seats in advance.
Accordingly, on the 16th, only seniors aged 65 or older or registered disabled persons under the Disabled Welfare Act can reserve tickets via telephone or online.
Elderly and disabled persons who are railroad members can also make reservations through the ‘Holiday Train Ticket Reservation Dedicated Website’ via mobile or other online methods.
For non-members, Korea Railroad explains that they can join as railroad members before the reservation day or make reservations via telephone (Railroad Customer Center).
Especially this year, to facilitate purchases for information-vulnerable groups, the telephone reservation limit (previously first-come, first-served for 1,000 people) has been removed and the reservation time extended to 6 p.m. (previously 1 p.m.).
From the 17th to the 18th, all citizens can reserve Chuseok train tickets online via mobile and other platforms. By date, tickets for the following lines can be reserved: on the 17th, Gyeongbu, Gyeongjeon, Donghae, Chungbuk, Jungbu Naeryuk, and Gyeongbuk lines; on the 18th, Honam, Jeolla, Gangneung, Janghang, Jungang, Taebaek, Yeongdong, and Gyeongchun lines.
Tickets reserved during the advance reservation period must be paid for between 3 p.m. on the 18th and midnight on the 21st. Tickets not paid for will be automatically canceled and allocated to waiting applicants, so caution is required.
Unsold remaining seats can be purchased from 3 p.m. on the 18th through the website, KORAIL Talk app, station counters, and other online and offline channels just like regular tickets.
Korea Railroad will also operate the ‘Holiday Train Ticket Reservation Dedicated Website’ in advance from 2 p.m. on the 12th to assist with reservations. On this website, users can check their railroad membership number and password, experience the holiday ticket reservation process in advance, or receive train timetable information.
Korea Railroad President Na Hee-seung said, “Considering the resurgence of COVID-19 and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters’ recommendation for non-face-to-face ticketing during the holiday travel season, we decided to conduct Chuseok reservations 100% non-face-to-face,” and added, “We will make thorough preparations to ensure that the public can conveniently reserve holiday train tickets.”
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